The Black Wind
by Lasmrah
Summary: Rand is traveling the Ways once again, and the Wind corners him...and his Power cannot help him. Rated PG-13 for what the Wind says. I'm also still working on this, but i'm posting it as I write, so don't complain about how short it is.


Disclaimer: All characters are the property of Robert Jordan. The italics of the Black Wind's speech are copied from his books, up to the first '…' of each paragraph, except for the last one, which is mine, along with most of the intro paragraph-those who read the books will tell where it becomes mine.

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The Black Wind

The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass. Reality fades to legend, legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten before the Age that gave it birth comes again. In the Ways, a Wind picks up. This wind was neither the beginning nor the end, but it was _a_ beginning.

Blood and ashes, why do I have to go here again? The last time I was here the Wind followed me out. I could get to Shayol Goul with the power…NO! No, I will NOT use the power here. Or anywhere else! Rand continued his personal argument as he wandered the Ways. _At least this time I don't have to risk anyone else. Loial made me a translation book._

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Flesh so fine, so fine to tear, to gash the skin; skin to strip, to plait, so nice to plait the strips, so nice, so red the drops that fall; blood so red, so red, so sweet; sweet screams, pretty screams, singing screams, scream your song, sing your screams...Rand is caught, caught in my web, my spiders web; to drink the blood, blood to drink, blood so sweet; Power to drink, to steal, to steal the power, it will be mine…

The whisper in the dark caught Rand's attention. His head perked up, and slowly it dawned on him. _Blood and bloody ashes, the Wind has found me! I could destroy it with…no! I'll never use the power! _His horse wheeled, eyes rolling as the whispers reached his ears. At the next Waystone (someone help me, isn't that what its called?), Rand spotted the white line. The Wind is getting closer…I must not use the Power! The Waygate, however…was destroyed. Completely.

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Blood so sweet, so sweet to drink the blood, the blood that drips, drips, drops so red; pretty eyes, fine eyes, I have no eyes, pluck the eyes from out of your head; grind your bones, split your bones inside your flesh, suck your marrow while you scream; scream, scream, singing screams, sing your screams...Rand is caught, the Waygate gone, gone, his soul will be gone. Steal his soul, his soul to take. Power it has, Power I had, it will be mine…

With the Wind approaching ever closer, Rand finally makes a decision. Blood and ashes. I have no choice. With effort he formed the flame in his head, feeding everything to it. Finally, the Void arrives, in spite of the whisperings. The oily flame of the One Power beckoning him, ever beckoning. He reached out, without movement, and scooped at the Power. While he caught it, he could feel the taint soaking into his skin. Then, knowing not how he did it, he reached out, and twisted the world. A hole slowly formed, razor thin, in front of him.

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Bitter blood, blood so bitter, drink the blood and crack the bone, crack the bone and suck the marrow, bitter marrow, sweet the screams, singing screams, sing the screams, tiny souls, acrid souls, gobble them down, so sweet the pain...pain, pain, my pain must go. Rand's pain must come. Bitter pain, pain so bitter, pain will be gone. Power, his Power, will be gone and mine will stay. Stay, stay, Rand must stay, it must be MINE!

With a brilliant flash of darkness, the hole disappeared. Rand watched, aghast, as he realized the Black Wind is much more than he had ever imagined. As it closed in, Rand prayed for something, anything to save him.

_Screams, screams, pretty screams. Joyful screams, full of blood. Rotten blood, blood so rotten. Rotten soul, tainted soul, Power so tainted, but it will be mine. Tainted Power, bitter Power, useful Power, Power in the bone and in the marrow. Suck the Power from the marrow, break the bone and suck the blood; pain, pain, screams of pain, the Power will be mine…_

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Thanks for reading, please R/R!


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